Known armored vehicles, such as military vehicles, armored currency carriers, and armored cars or limousines commonly provide one or more “armored” or bullet-resistant glass or composite windows. Known bullet-resistant glass or composite windows weigh up to approximately 250 pounds. There are no known mechanisms developed to fully raise and lower windows of such weight, therefore known bullet resistant glass or composite windows are generally fixed in position in their door frames, or are movable only to a limited degree. This limits the accessibility of the vehicle driver or passenger for example when stopped for security check points, toll booths, and the like, and may undesirably require the vehicle driver or passenger to open the vehicle door during such times.
In addition, it is desirable to allow for back-fit of a window lift system into existing armored vehicles that do not have the capability of displacing existing bullet-resistant windows. The window structure of such vehicles may not currently permit sufficient flexibility to allow up and down window motion due to internal structure, and a back-fit window system that provides for multiple plane movement of the window is not presently known.
Thus, while current armored or bullet-resistant glass or composite window lift or control systems achieve their intended purpose, there is a need for a new and improved system and method for raising and lowering bullet-resistant glass or composite windows.